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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22382179">The Taste of Love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarsupialsOfMars/pseuds/MarsupialsOfMars'>MarsupialsOfMars</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 16:34:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,095</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22382179</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarsupialsOfMars/pseuds/MarsupialsOfMars</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Patton lives in the same woods in the same cave, as he has for his 29 years of life, alone. He isn't lonely though, he feels all sorts of wonderful emotions instead, or rather he tastes them. and they're very nutritious. As he prepares for hibernation one year, short on food stores, he finds a source of more emotions than he's ever experienced at once, and he knows exactly what he has to do.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This fic is a lead in to my askblog on tumblr, ask-a-paternal-cryptid. you have to come on and ask questions to find out what happens next in the story!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Patton hummed happily as he smoothed the blanket on the grass. He slid out his casserole from the wood fire oven and set it in the center of the spread with care. He added some bread and fruit, and decorated his work with fresh flowers he’d picked from the forest. Perfect. Anyone would love a feast like this.</p><p>Happy prey always tasted the best.</p><p> </p><p>He looked around the trees. His acute sense of smell and hearing made him aware that they were most definitely teeming with life, ripe and juicy. Squirrels and birds and raccoons and possums, all scavenging and preparing for hibernation. Content. Patton’s mouth watered. Content was his favorite. His ear twitched at a crunch in the twigs. He ducked in his cave and sat back on his haunches. A decent sized rabbit was investigating the meal. It sniffed the end of a strawberry and nibbled it happily. Patton smiled. So cute. He had to get this right. It had to be fast, fast enough that the creature wouldn’t have time to be scared. It’s what he was best at. He recoiled his spine and dug his toes into the dirt floor. The rabbit remained oblivious. Patton licked his fangs silently. He readied his stance and pounced, sinking his claws into his prey. The punctures were precise, a quick, painless and virtually silent kill.</p><p>Patton used a claw to cleanly slice the creature’s chest and gently pulled back its ribs, careful to be respectful of its body. He salivated upon finding it. The heart. Fall catches were always rich and full from the critters’ hibernation preparations. He carefully slit the central arteries and let the fresh morsel warm his chilly hands. He bent the animals rubs back into place good as new and brought it around the side of his cave to his fruit and vegetable garden.</p><p> </p><p>The garden was wonderful for bait, but often he’d guiltily enjoy some for himself. He knew it was empty calories, he was a form of carnivore after all, but he couldn’t resist natures candy. He took a spade, and, holding the heart and carcass with one hand, he dug a shallow grave for the rabbit and quickly buried it. The rabbit feeds on the plants, the Patton feeds on the rabbit and in turn the plants feed on the rabbit to then be eaten by the rabbit and then by the Patton. He sighed in wonder. The circle of life was a gorgeous one, one he’d found a deep appreciation for in his twenty nine years in the forest. Death was the most amazing part of life. He did his part each day to later join a larger circle to feed something greater.</p><p> </p><p>He looked down at the tiny heart in the palm of his hand. The happy little heart, a perfect one, with many comfortable years of life swirling inside, seasoning the meat like a emotional marinade. He smiled and took in the mouth watering scent of purity and joy. He trotted triumphantly into his cavey home and dropped the heart into his rabbit specific box with the others. It was getting to be the time of year where he’d be able to retire the salt preservation method and simply use the cold weather to refrigerate his stores. He almost had enough for his weekly feeding but he was beginning to get dangerously hungry. He’d need something bigger to finish off the meal in time.</p><p>As if some higher power had been listening to his thoughts, a heavy, loping crinkle of footsteps on leaves drifted into the cave, funneling in and bouncing off the walls. His ear twitched and swiveled toward the cave’s entrance. A deer? A boar? He fell to all fours and crept silently to the opening.</p><p>He pricked both ears towards the origin of the sound. It sounded wounded, stumbling awkwardly through the underbrush. But the pattern was so odd… two legged? It was far to big to be a bird and too small to be a bear. But the more he listened, it was definitely bipedal. The breathing was jagged but wheezing, low but high pitched, refined. Unlike any animal he’d ever heard. He laid his ears flat and peered cautiously around the lip of the cave. He gasped softly in shock and excitement.</p><p>A human.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>After losing my phone for a year, I was able to recover it and with it the second part of this story! I will not be continuing it, but I still want to post what i had written but not saved after i lost the phone!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Patton had never seen a human in person before, not so close. Every time he searched stores and streets for extra non-forest-obtainable resources he went at night so nobody would catch him. Not because he would be put in danger but because he didn’t want to be a bother, and he knew that if he was forced to exercise self defense it wouldn’t be pretty, and he’d have to waste potential food as well. He refused to eat fear and pain. He wasn’t incredibly picky, but when it came to negative emotions those were the worst and barely provided any nutrition. Fear tasted bitter, like juicing dandelions onto your tongue, and pain tasted like cold rusty metal.<br/>
He narrowed his eyes and sank onto his haunches. The human was smaller than its steps suggested, malnourished and tired. It looked sickly. It looked surprisingly like Patton, save for its absence of fur and its small ears, and hair the color of blackberry juice. There were a few more subtle differences but nothing severe enough that Patton couldn’t replicate. He felt sorry for it. It was so cute, feeble. And at that point not very appetizing. He watched it stumble over to his bait spread. It seemed confused, which was understandable. But it was too hungry to care. It spoke. More shouted than spoke:<br/>
"Logan! Grab Princey and get over here! There’s food!”<br/>
It must have been signaling its pack. More of them? In a moment another human trudged out of the brush, dragging another unconscious one on a large tarp. Patton ran through a list of the best ways to approach the situation. It may be less suspicious to them if he approached in a friendly manner? They were obviously in no condition to refuse assistance. He nodded to himself.<br/>
In a matter of seconds his fur had shed and his ears had morphed into passable human ones. His claws retracted and were replaced with fingernails and his knees popped as they reversed their bend to a forward position like his prey. He pulled his fur clothing around himself and his eyes dimmed their glow, now simply glinting a brilliant blue. He crept out slowly as to not startle them too much.<br/>
"Hello?” He felt a bit bad when the two creatures jumped, but he knew however he came out would startle them this deep in the woods. They looked at him in fear and confusion. "Don’t be afraid. Are you lost?” He said it gently and with a warm undertone, calculated by his body into the least threatening voice to this particular species.<br/>
"Who are you?!” The first one he’d seen stepped in front of the other two. The action was endearing and very cute, especially considering it would take little more than a gust of wind to topple the feeble creature.<br/>
"I live out here. I’m as surprised as you to find someone this deep in the woods. Or rather you found me.” Patton chuckled. “You seem tired and hungry.”<br/>
“Um... yeah. We were hiking and one of us-“ he flashed a quick glance at the unconscious body, “decided to go off trail on an adventure. We’ve been lost about a week now. We need food and shelter... if it’s not too much trouble.”<br/>
Patton smiled warmly. “Of course not! I was just about to have some of this but you seem to need it more.” He gestured to the spread.<br/>
"Thank you!” The blackberry human sat on the picnic blanket and grabbed an orange. The other conscious human stepped forward and extended a hand. Patton took it.<br/>
"Thank you for your hospitality. I’m Logan, this is Virgil, and this,” he motioned to the one on the tarp whom he had been dragging, “Is Roman. We’re not sure what’s wrong with him, but I assume it’s it’s dehydration. Do you have any? Is there a river?”<br/>
Patton smiled. “One moment!” He ran back to the cave and pulled the makeshift lid off his rainwater barrel. He took a cup and filled it, then made his way back. “Here you are!”<br/>
"Thank you.” The human named Logan took the cup and kneeled next to his pack member, patting his face rapidly until the human named Roman groaned and blinked awake.<br/>
"What...?” His throat sounded dry and rough and his voice was soft and weak. Logan held the water to his lips.<br/>
"Water. Drink.” The weakened creature obeyed almost instantly as his mind cleared, finishing the water in seconds.<br/>
"More?” He looked up desperately. Logan looked to Patton.<br/>
"May we have another?” Patton nodded and compliantly refilled the cup, bringing as many as the parched man could drink. Once he was finished, he seemed to become more aware of his surroundings.<br/>
"Who is this?”<br/>
“He lives around here. He has food and shelter. And water.” Logan informed his pack member. Roman looked from his friend to Patton.<br/>
“Thanks... do you have a name?”<br/>
“Patton!” Patton grinned. He made sure his razor edged teeth were concealed.<br/>
"Well thank you Patton.” He looked at Logan. “Does this mean we got to civilization?!”<br/>
"No. He lives out here.” "But there’s food?” Patton nodded and motioned to where Virgil was stuffing his face in response. Romans eyes brightened and he shakily stood, wobbling over to the the spread before collapsing to his knees in front of it. Logan joined them. "Be carful Virgil! If you eat too much too fast you might puke and waste it all.” Patton blinked down at him with concern. Virgil looked up and sheepishly slowed his eating. Patton smiled and sat criss cross with his three guests. "So how do you live out here? You must get your resources somewhere.” Logan inquired as he nibbled on some sourdough and blueberries. "I garden, and hunt, and collect rainwater. It’s a little inconvenient but I love the forest so it’s worth it.” He decided to leave out the fact he’d probably be cast out as a monster and wouldn’t be able to control his animal urges to hunt while in a human civilization. He thought it might spook them. "I see. Where’s your house? Is it nearby?” Logan continued to interrogate further. Patton pointed to his cave forty feet behind them. "I live in that cave right there! It’s real cozy you’ll love it!” "Logan’s brows rose, impressed. “Resourceful...” "I know! You gotta be at least a little bit sharp to get by out here.” "Cool...” The blackberry haired Virgil mumbled to himself. Patton looked over to find him listening intently, alongside Roman who was doing the same. Patton felt his face warm. He’d never considered his lifestyle to be impressive and this sort of validation was new to him. He enjoyed it. He giggled. “Are you done eating? I can show you around!” "Yes! It’s so cool you live in a cave! Are you some sort of dragon?” Roman beamed at the thought, a teasing glint in his eye. Patton’s blood chilled at the accusation. "Nah. Just a regular old person like you!” His fangs retracted further into his gums as if they were shy, and he felt his knees strain to return to their position. He wasn’t used to changing form this long and with Romans question he felt it all weigh on him at once. His voice hitched, but he felt like he managed to act casual as he continued. "How... how about I pack this all up and you three can come see where you’ll be for the night? You must be super tired.” "Thanks again.” Virgil stood shakily and Logan helped him. “We shouldn’t be here long, just enough to get back on our feet. Maybe a couple nights at most.” "Nonsense, stay as long as you want! You seem like lovely company.” Patton smiled. He needed them to stay long enough to lift their spirits. “Thank you,” Logan spoke up, “But if you could show us toward any sort of civilization, as I’m sure you know where we are, we should be out by tomorrow at noon.” Patton chewed his lip. “No need to move so fast, you’re too weak to make it all the way out tomorrow. I can make you some of my Patton-Pending Patton Pasta tomorrow night!” “Really, we’d rather get home as soon as we can if you don’t mind, we have people who are most definitely worried and responsibilities to fulfill.” Logan wasn’t going to budge. Patton groaned internally. He plastered a smile on his face. "Okay then! I’ll be sure you all enjoy your stay no matter its length!” "You are our savior, if there’s anything we can do-“ Roman took Patton’s hand. “No, no, nothing. Your company is payment enough.” Patton had never lied before, which may have been the reason he wasn’t the best at it. Usually he was just hunting, baiting, pouncing, but something about this prey made him feel a little bad deceiving them. "You’re an angel.” Roman kissed Patton’s hand to his surprise. "Roman! Stop being weird!” Virgil shoved his pack member. “I’m not!” "You just kissed a stranger!” "He was being NICE!” “You can’t just kiss nice people!” They began to shove and prod each other back and forth. Patton began to reach out to stop them. After all, if they got into a fight they’d be angry, and he’d have to start the happiness all over again. But he paused. He didn’t catch the scent of any anger. This was different. Play fighting, like cougar siblings, the batting of little cubs paws. Teasing. Logan interjected, attempting to break them up. Patton chuckled. "Cut it out you two, I’m flattered.” He gave a lopsided smile, his fall-chilled, rosy cheeks lifting his eyes into glimmering blue crescents. The three stopped, their cheeks tinting a similar pink through their already wind bitten faces. The cold must have been really getting to them. "Cmon, you look like you’re freezing, let’s get you all by a fire.” Patton gathered the corners of the picnic blanket and slung it over his shoulder, motioning his guests to follow him toward his cave. They complied, trudging through the leaves and pine needles. The air was rich with the sweet aroma of sap and wet leaves. He would have liked to have stayed out a bit longer to enjoy it, but all three of his prey were shivering, pulling their respective hoodies and jackets tight around their shoulders. He quickened his pace. They approached the mouth of the cave and Patton hurried them in, gathering three blankets and one large quilt from his chest of nesting materials and distributing one of the fleeces to each. He took the quilt and wrapped them all in a heavy second layer before scampering over to the firewood pile. He lit a match to the stone pit and the fire roared to life on a pile of dry grass and the previous nights wood. "You should take this chance to sleep as long as you need.” "But the sun’s still up.” Virgil looked out the cave’s opening. He was right, the sun was low in the west but it had yet to brush the horizon. “Don’t let the sun boss you around, you’re tired all the same aren’t you? Don’t worry, I’ll use the time to hunt and get us all something fresh for breakfast.” Patton smiled with difficulty. His teeth were strained and sore. They couldn’t hold their dull form much longer. He willed his prey to shut their eyes. His poorly bent knees, his tiny useless ears, his bare skin screamed to show their true selves. "Guess so. Thanks again.” Virgil sighed and pulled the quilt tighter, breathing in its calming scent of bread and baked goods. "It means the world.” Roman leaned into Virgil, his eyes heavy. Logan joined the pile, mumbling a noise Patton interpreted as gratefulness. "Really, the pleasure is all mine.” Patton took three cups from his cabinet and filled them with water to place next to the pack. “For if you wake up thirsty.” "Thanks...” Virgil smiled. His cheeks flushed pink, though Patton was sure he’d warmed them all up adequately. He noticed the same blush plaguing the whole pack. Maybe humans warm slower than Pattons. "I’ll go hunt as soon as I know you’re sleeping. You’d better.” He teased sternness. "We won’t have any problems with that.” Logan yawned. “You’d better go before it gets too dark.” Patton nodded. He had night vision, but he wouldn’t need it. He had all he needed right in his cave. Right in front of him. He breathed in the gratefulness and content swirling around him. Their aura was mouthwatering. But he had to wait. They were thin; he needed healthy, plump prey. He wanted these three at their full potential. They would be his last meal before hibernation after all. They needed to be hearty. Pun intended. He took a seat in his wooden armchair and curled up to watch them drift off. They were so cute. Like baby bunnies, huddled for warmth, twitching and readjusting ever so often, like fragile little blind kits. Finally, they were settled into sleep. Patton stood, loosening his fall clothing to accommodate his fuller form. He shifted, his ears morphing outward and filling out with fur. His knees reversed with a satisfying pop and his claws burst from his digits. His lithe frame filled out with all sorts of muscles humans didn’t have, ligaments, tendons, even bone, his dull teeth sharpening and extending, the rows further back pulling up into his gums for later use. His eyes were last, pupils lengthening and iris filling its whites, flaring with a brilliant blue glow. He was a Patton again. He sighed with relief before turning to his prey. He sat next to them and studied, them closely, brainstorming his options. Logan seemed persistent on leaving the next day at noon. That wasn’t nearly enough time to nurse them all back to health and harvest what he needed from them. But if he tried to keep them they’d be suspicious and may leave anyway. He sighed. There was really only one option, and it would really just be harder for everyone. But it was the only way to keep them indefinitely. Patton scavenged through a box of materials with which he used to set traps for his prey. He pulled out coil of nylon rope he’d reinforced with natural fibers. For larger prey, deer and the like. He got to work carefully maneuvering around his houseguests, securing the rope to metal hooks used to dry clothes in front of the fireplace. He looped and cut it an a way that he had three ends, and six short spare pieces. He first bound each of their ankles, then their wrists. He surveyed his work. He felt a pang of guilt for securing them in such an uncomfortable way, but he couldn’t risk them escaping. He finished by tying a simple slipknot around each of their necks. That way he wouldn’t have to worry about his materials being weak. They’d tighten at the slightest struggle, far before being pulled tight enough to break. Once he was finished, he sat cross-legged in front of them, watching. He blinked in curiosity. They were embracing one another, even in their sleep, ever so often shifting to hold one another tighter, the corners of their mouths twitching upward slightly. They were content, comforted, by one another’s presence. A foreign aroma enveloped Patton, something he’d never once smelled before. He’d definitely know if he had before. It was like happiness but... richer. Fuller. His fangs dripped saliva. It was something he never knew he needed until then. His new goal, he needed them healthy, and he needed them feeling that. The goal; that’s what he’d call this new emotion. Patton awoke the next morning to a shout. He lifted his head from his spot curled on his mattress. "What’s going on?! Logan!” Virgil was awake. Patton gasped and shifted quickly, hiding his inhuman extremities. "Hm...?” Logan blinked awake. Patton peered around the thick rock wall between his living and sleeping areas. “What...? What is this?!” Roman was up now. “Hey! What happened? Why can’t I-“ He yanked at the ropes. “Where are... who...” He looked around. The others yanked at their restraints, panicked. Patton took a breath. They wouldn’t really care to see him at the moment, that he knew, but he couldn’t allow the confusion and panic to continue at the rate it was. "Shhh, calm down, calm down, everything is fine.” He crept out from his hiding spot. Three heads swiveled to face him, a mixture of fear panic and anger. He had to hold back from gagging at the putrid, sour aroma. "Who are you?! Let us go!” Virgil kicked and snarled. "Well that’s a funny question... I’m Patton! I could’ve sworn I told you.” "Who are you really you psychopath?! Why are we tied up?!” "Oh! Oh. Don’t worry, it’s just because Logan had said you three were leaving at noon and that wasn’t enough time.” “Enough time for what? You’re insane!” He wouldn’t calm down. Patton could taste his bitter, rotten rage on the back of his tongue. "Shh, it’s okay, I promise I’m not insane. Just hungry.” Logan blinked, his mouth twisting into an uneasy expression. “Hungry...?” "Aren’t you excited?” Patton smiled warmly. “It’s your turn to join the circle!” "The circle...? You’re making no sense.” Logan squinted. Patton took his guests glasses off the coffee table and pushed them gingerly onto his nose. Logan blinked in surprise. "There. You can see.” Patton sat in front off the three cross legged, placing his hands in his lap. “Do humans not know the circle?” "Humans...? What are you?” Roman raised a brow. "Or what does his crazy mind THINK he is...” Virgil mumbled, eyeing Patton with a seething hatred. "I’m a Patton! Not quite human. Actually pretty far from it. But I feel like I think like you do. Which is why I think you may be able to understand. To get where I’m coming from.” "Bullshit! Cut the jokes! Why do you really want us?” Virgil wasn’t having it. Patton sighed. "I can show you I’m not lying. If you promise not to be afraid.” "Yes! Show us!” Roman was interested. Patton liked him. "Yes, let’s see.” Logan was skeptical but intrigued. Virgil didn’t speak, but he didn’t have to. Patton could sense his aura of fear, rage, skepticism. He began shifting. As he did, he felt his guests fear and disbelief curl his tongue and dry his saliva. Screams, shouts, gasps. But this was just another step. Finished, he looked down at the three. He smiled at them with his carnivore teeth. "See? I wouldn’t lie to you.” He let the three finish their little freak out. "What are you?! How?!” Logan looked him up and down. "Woah...” Roman was staring blankly, unsure of how to react. "You said you were hungry...?” The softest voice came from Virgil. Where there was once rage, there was now a cold rigid fear. Patton refused to spit, though he felt like he was chewing batteries. "Yep. I needed something sustainable before my hibernation and wouldn’t you know it, you three came along at just the right time. I’ve never had human. You seem so emotionally intelligent and mature... I’m so excited! Aren’t you?! You’ll be joining the circle!” Virgil had his face hidden in his hood. Logan was rubbing his back. The latter spoke: “What is this ‘circle’ you keep mentioning?” "The circle of life! It’s so so beautiful.” Virgil whimpered and the others gulped. "So we should be excited to die?” A deep worry line appeared between romans well groomed brows. “No.” Patton chuckled. “You should be excited to contribute.” “So you want to eat us?” Logan seemed collected but Patton could sense his fear. "Not all of you don’t worry! Just your hearts. It won’t hurt even a bit and you’ll look just fine after, I promise, I’m real good at it.” He gave a toothy smile, but the reassurances didn’t seem to have done much. Virgil was breathing quickly like he’d just finished chasing something though he hadn’t moved in hours. Patton tipped his head as Logan struggled to normalize his pack member’s breathing. "Are you okay? Do you need water?” Logan looked up. He was afraid but Patton could sense that if his trust had been more developed he would say yes. Patton rose to his seven foot stature, drawing some yelps from his prey, and went to fetch a cup at the rain barrel. He sighed while collecting his thoughts. He knew he had to lie to build initial trust, but it made him feel lousy when he had to then be honest, and the shock of the reveal shattered a large portion of the already formed trust. This task was proving to be more difficult than he’d initially expected. He’d expected them to have similar values to him. If he’d been selected to feed another creature he’d be accepting and grateful for the opportunity. They’d been raised in the wrong mindset. The wrong environment. He’d have to teach them. Patton returned to the three with a large glass of water. He held it out to the trembling Virgil. He flinched back, staring in horror at the lengthy claws wrapping the cup. Patton retracted his arm slightly. His claws drew in and his fingers squirmed against the glass until they were harmless human paws. Virgil seemed disgusted, but at least not as fearful, as he took the glass quickly. Patton sat silently as Logan assisted his friend in calming himself, counting in unusual intervals as he took in breaths. Roman held his friend’s hand and gently petted it with his thumb as his breathing evened. Patton’s ears twitched as he tracked Virgil’s breaths until they slowly became regular. The whole scene was incredibly endearing, like a mother bear caring for her young. And it was there again. The unknown emotion enveloped Patton, warming him and holding him and coercing drool down his fangs. But he caught himself. The fear was still there. They weren’t enough yet. "Don’t worry.” He kept his voice empathetic and even. “I’ll prepare you far ahead of time, I won’t take you by any sort of surprise. You have days at least. I’ll make sure you’re happy by the time you go. That’s my mission! To teach you my thoughts about all of this! Of course, of course you’re scared, and I’m very very sorry. I’d be scared too, but the point isn’t that you’re going away, it’s that you’re staying, and you’re staying as something big, and beautiful, and warm, and happy... You’re feeding into something great and something magical. Doesn’t that sound breathtaking?” Patton’s eyes were bright and full of wonder as he scanned his guests faces for any form of realization or excitement. They were looking back at him with fear and confusion. "We’re in our late twenties. We’re not near old enough to be excited to die.” Logan spoke clearly and objectively. Patton tipped his head curiously. "How old do you have to be? The best prey is perfect when it’s in its prime. Just like you. Everything is vibrant and strong and exciting.” Virgil chewed his lip and spoke “exactly. And we won’t have time to experience it all.” Patton blinked. “What do you mean? Emotion isn’t complicated. Most bunnies have felt them all by the time they’re grown up.” "People emotions are different.” “Like how?” “Like how we can learn, and form relationships, and care, and hate, and love... instincts are different from emotions. People have emotions.” Patton was surprised by Virgil’s sudden participation, and with such energy. Though he could hardly understand what he was getting at. "Animals can be happy and have mates and care about their young an-“ "But did they form those thoughts themselves?” Roman joined. “Or were they born with them? Are they true love and hate and happiness and sadness or are they just for survival?” Patton huffed at the foreign words and concepts. “I would know. I know what they taste like. Each different emotion. And they’re emotions.” He didn’t like being confused. He wanted so badly to stop talking about it. For some reason the ideas were making him feel nasty, and he wasn’t nasty. He knew that. “What would you like to eat for breakfast?” "But-“ “No buts! I want to stop talking please.” He smiled, blinking the ickiness away. “I have berries, eggs, veggies of all sorts, I could hunt for you if you want meat... do humans eat meat?” "I don’t want to die!!!” Virgil pounded his bound feet on the stone floor. “If you cared you’d listen!” The muscles in Patton’s neck tensed and he felt his hackles rise. He didn’t like that. He didn’t like getting yelled at. At all. He turned to the pack, reflexively pursing his lips at the fearful look they gave him, his hackles, and as he then realized, his now-splayed claws. He gulped, slowly pulling them back into his fingertips. His hackles laid flat and he felt dampness in his eyes. "Please don’t stay that... stay with me. Please.” "We don’t really have a choice do we...?” Virgil mumbled. "You’re making me feel gross... Please stop...” Patton spoke softly, pleading. He didn’t like the squeezing in his chest. "Maybe you deserve it then.” It was matter-of-fact. Virgil held Patton’s gaze, strong but apprehensive, as if he were expecting an attack, which only made Patton feel worse. "I-I.... I don’t... I just need to eat... and I just...” water built in his eyes. Was he sick? His eyes watered sometimes but not nearly this much, and normally from the wind. The air was still. “Please stop saying those things... please just be happy and understand...it would be easier for everyone if you did.” His breath hitched and he tasted sadness. He looked across his prey. It wasn’t any of them... who was sad? He licked at his lips to get rid of the taste, a salty taste, with a hint of rotting blueberries and raw eggs. The taste of wilted, slimy things. He felt tears roll down his cheeks and onto his lips, making the sadness even saltier. He felt weak. He let himself fall to his knees as he frantically attempted to dry his face with the balls of his palms. "Please... it’s never been this hard before...” He didn’t dare look up. He knew he’d be met with expressions that would make him feel even worse. His prey was quiet. From what he could tell they had little emotion about the situation. Maybe shock. Or maybe the sadness was drowning them out. "Shhh...” Patton blinked. He looked up. Roman was watching him, some sort of sympathy in the way he held his expression. “Hush. You’re okay.” "Roman?” Logan squinted at him. “What are you doing?” "Helping I think.” He didn’t look away from Patton, continuing to hush him. Virgil watched him with an unreadable expression. "I’m sorry.” It was quiet, and slightly grudging. Virgil sighed. “Deep breaths. Count it out. I’ll shut up.” Patton filled his lungs and let it out again, continuing the pattern until he could dry his face without more tears wetting it again. The pack watched, unsure of how to react. Patton lifted his head. “Don’t be sorry... you’re scared. You think a different way. It’s okay.” “You seem like you have good intentions. You seem nice, just... terrifying.” Virgil grimaced. “You see, where we come from, and as people, we don’t...” Logan joined in. “In general we don’t romanticize death. It’s overall very negative. As you have survival instincts, we have much more emotion in relation to dying it seems.” “Its the abrupt end to life, not what life builds to.” Roman nodded as he joined, “it’s the definite rock bottom to any situation.” Patton furrowed his brows. “But that’s all wrong!” "Why would it be wrong? Everything you’ve built to ceases and the next step is unknown, and the most scientific situation would be a total and sudden nothingness. It’s terrifying.” Virgil seemed to project his own current emotion into his words, pale and shaking in his delivery. “That’s not at all what I see in it! We as ourselves aren’t really important. We pass our time growing our minds to emotional maturity until we’re ripe, that’s why life feels so good, but those feelings aren’t for us. They’re for the universe! And when something uses us for energy, some transfers to them and some goes into the bigger picture. That’s why we have to have good lives, so all that good stuff can feed the circle!” The three seemed confused, but this time they seemed to be trying to understand, which made Patton quite happy. “Would you be willing to accept...” Roman worked to choose his words carefully. “That we don’t want to be eaten? And leave us be? We’ll work to understand where you’re coming from but as of now, none of us are keen on going just yet.” Patton gulped slightly. “I suppose... if you’re really so opposed... but I still need something to eat. You three would have been perfect to finish off my haul for hibernation but if I don’t have you, I’ve wasted this time for nothing and I need a whole lot more for my last meal before winter.” Virgil blinked. “You’d really let us go?” Patton sighed. “If you really would be so unhappy to be my prey, you won’t do me a lot of good. Besides, I’m starting to like your companionship. Though I’m still not sure if I can afford to let you go.” "What if,” Logan spoke up, “We helped you? We could help hunt, make ourselves useful. In return you can free us and show us the way to civilization.” Patton smiled. “Would you really? That would be amazing! Are you sure you can hunt though...? You have no claws or teeth for it...” "We can learn. And I can use a sword if that’s at all useful.” Romans voice was filled with a sudden determination. Almost excitement. “A sword?” "A long sharp stick. For stabbing. A spear would be easier to craft with these resources.” Logan clarified. “Now... can you let us go? We can’t very well hunt tied up like this.” Virgil quirked an eyebrow. Patton could still taste a dull fear on him. Maybe he was always like that. But he silently expressed his gratitude, considering the bitter aftertaste in his mouth allowed him to curb his temptation to break the deal. He nodded. "I really am sorry... if Id known it would make you so uncomfortable I wouldn’t have done all this. Please don’t be afraid of me. I won’t eat you, I’m not dangerous, not when I don’t want to be. And I promise I don’t want to be.” “I don’t know if I can really not be afraid. But I’m not, objectively. Emotionally it’s a bit different.” Virgil raised a brow. “You were planning to eat us a couple minutes ago. But you seem nice. Just different, as a terrifying predator should be. But I can tell you, I’m the least scared of you than I ever thought id be being faced with a man eating eldritch beast. So take that as you may.” One corner of his mouth upturned in a way Patton could assume was teasing. He smiled. "I’ll take it.” He reaches for Virgil’s bound wrists with a harmless, sheathed hand and gently untied the rope. He wanted to save it for trap making. “Can you untie the rest on your own now? It would be faster to help all four then help anyone struggling with a knot.” "Go ahead.” Virgil rubbed his wrists and hissed. They were a painful red and imprinted with the marks of fibers. Patton grimaced with guilt.</p><p>“Here.” He filled a bowl with water and set it by Virgil. “It should help soothe the pain. Nice and cold.” Virgil looked up from the knot on his ankles. <br/>“Thanks.” Patton nodded and proceeded to help the other two pack members.</p>
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